Album reviews: Kris Bowers and Charley Patton

Published: Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at 06:56 PM.

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Recording right up until his untimely death in 1934, the quality of Patton’s work never subsided. His playing, singing and ahead-for-the-times lyrics all seemed to grow emotionally as he neared the end of his life. The last four songs on this collection are duets with vocalist Bertha Lee, with “Mind Reader Blues” being a standout both for its performance and subject matter. Who knows how long Patton could have kept up his winning streak, but there’s no question what he accomplished helped form the bedrock of modern music.

Jon Dawson’s album reviews appear every Thursday in The Free Press. Contact Jon Dawson at 252-559-1092 or jon.dawson@kinston.com. Purchase Jon’s new book “Counterfeit Sauerkraut & The Weekend Teeth at The Free Press office or jondawson.com.

Kris Bowers’ “Heroes and Misfits” is one of if not the most promising debut albums of 2014.

The Julliard-trained Bowers made a name for himself as a live performer and session man before “Heroes & Villains” was recorded. Instead of easing into a recording career of his own, Bowers jumped right in with a near masterpiece that weaves elements of jazz, rock, electronica and hip hop into a murky hybrid that’s tough to pin down.

The range of styles Bowers has already seemingly mastered is staggering. “Forever Spring” is a modern classical/jazz piece that channel’s the keyboard riff of The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” and the moody jazz changes of “Kind Of Blue” era Miles Davis. “Wake The Neighbors” is equally as complex, although from a sonic perspective it has more in common with Medeski, Martin and Wood’s experiments DJ Logic.

The innovation continues with “#TheProtester,” a piano-driven instrumental that features some of the best R&B drumming this side of Clyde Stubblefied. “Vices and Virtues” evokes the feel of the classic Duke Ellington/John Coltrane collaborations, albeit in a firm 21st century setting. The bubbling “Forever Wonder” is a dreamy tribute to the early 1970s work of Stevie Wonder, a forward thinking artist Bowers no doubt regards as a kindred spirit.

Julia Easterlin, Chris Turner and Jose’ James all provide nuanced vocals on a few “Heroes and Misfits” tracks, and thankfully their performances are as interesting as Bowers’ musical landscapes. Turner’s vocal on “WonderLove” hits the same lush chord Johnny Hartman hit all those years ago with John Coltrane.

The only foreseeable problem Bowers faces is trying to come up with another album as stunning and well-executed as “Heroes and Misfits”. Odds are this is just the beginning of a roll for one of the most original artists of the day.

Classic album: Complete Recordings 1929-1934

Artist: Charley Patton

Label: JSP

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Billed as “every known recording” made by blues giant Charley Patton, “Complete Recordings 1929 - 1934” is a five-disc set that contains some of the greatest acoustic blues every recorded.

Although Patton doesn’t have a “meeting the devil at the crossroads at midnight” story attached to his legend, his work is just as important as that of Mr. Crossroads himself, Robert Johnson. A gifted slide guitarist and writer, Patton was also blessed with a voice that could knock an elephant over. Patton’s growl is often cited as an influence on the vocal style of Howlin’ Wolf, who in turn is cited as an influence on Tom Waits, thus drawing a straight line from Patton’s work in 1929 up to 2014.

Standout tracks from Patton’s career (“A Spoonful Blues,” “Prayer of Death,” “Pea Vine Blues”) are here in all their primal glory, but there are no filler tracks that distill the power of the better known songs. Even with the scratchy fidelity to be expected of an ancient recording - “Rattlesnake Blues” (which features an unknown fiddle player) is more sinister than anything anyone is doing today.

Patton may not have had the devil on his trail like Johnson, but death and the afterlife was definitely on his mind. “When Your Way Gets Dark” and “Your Gonna Need Somebody When You Die” may be extemporaneous expressions of Patton’s faith, but they are just as powerful as his more traditionally constructed fare. His collaborations with vocalist Edith North Johnson, however, are about as much fun as could be legally had on a recording in the early 1930s.

Recording right up until his untimely death in 1934, the quality of Patton’s work never subsided. His playing, singing and ahead-for-the-times lyrics all seemed to grow emotionally as he neared the end of his life. The last four songs on this collection are duets with vocalist Bertha Lee, with “Mind Reader Blues” being a standout both for its performance and subject matter. Who knows how long Patton could have kept up his winning streak, but there’s no question what he accomplished helped form the bedrock of modern music.

Jon Dawson’s album reviews appear every Thursday in The Free Press. Contact Jon Dawson at 252-559-1092 or jon.dawson@kinston.com. Purchase Jon’s new book “Counterfeit Sauerkraut & The Weekend Teeth at The Free Press office or jondawson.com.